Cops suspect professional hit in teacher’s murderJULY 18, 2013KULIM, JulY 18 — In what smacks of a contract killing, a teacher who slowed down his car at a traffic light intersection was shot dead at close range in Simpang Empat Keladi here today.

One of two men on a motorcycle fired several shots at K. Shanmugam, 45, as his Toyota Wish skidded and rammed into another vehicle in the incident at 12.25pm.

Earlier, the victim was on his way to his workplace at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Berapit, Bukit Mertajam from his house in Taman Bidara. Kedah CID chief ACP Mohd Nashir Ya said that unknown to Shanmugam, two men on a motorcycle were believed to tailed him closely on the right side of the car.

“When the car slowed down upon approaching the traffic light intersection, the gunman fired several shots at Shanmugam, hitting him in the head and body.

“The teacher lost control of the car which skidded and crashed into a car in front. The gunman and his accomplice sped away in the machine,” he told reporters at the scene of the killing.

Asked whether the killing was the work of hired killers, Mohd Nashir said the police were investigating that angle, and the motive behind the murder.

Shanmugam’s body was sent to the Kulim Hospital.

Meanwhile, Mat Lin Saad, 62, whose Perodua Viva was rammed from behind by Shanmugam’s Toyota Wish after the teacher was gunned down, said he initially thought someone had let off firecrackers when the collision occurred.

“I alighted from my car to check the extent of the damage, only to see the bloodied victim struggling in pain before he died of the gunshot wounds as a crowd surrounded our cars,” he said.

Another witness, Zulkiffli Itam, 45, said that during the incident, he saw two men on a motorcycle, tailing Shanmugam before the machine sped towards Taman Selasih after the victim was shot. — Bernama